Cobble Hill: Breukelen opens at 268 Clinton Street on September 5. The new eatery features a nine-seat bar, 44 seats indoors, and a twelve-seat outdoor patio. The menu changes daily with five Mediterranean-inspired options each for appetizers, pastas, main courses, and desserts. [Cobble Hill Blog]
Flatiron District: Restaurant i opens Sept. 7 in the Charles Hotel at 893 Broadway, featuring a menu of Asian-inspired dishes like miso cod with bok choy, carrot ginger emulsion and steamed rice from a former Spice Market chef. [ZagatBuzz]
Greenpoint: The Habitat’s third annual wing eating contest takes place tonight at 10 p.m. Twelve contestants will compete to eat the most wings in ten minutes for a $100 cash prize and trophy, with wings costing $0.25 each for spectators. [Greenpointers]
Lower East Side: Pianos’s window now displays its lunch and dinner menu painted on the glass. [Bowery Boogie]

Midtown: Grill 44 has closed, replaced by Indian spot 44 Curry House [Midtown Lunch]
Park Slope: Upper East Side noodle shop Naruto Ramen opens its second location Sept. 10 at 276 Fifth Avenue [ZagatBuzz]
Prospect Heights: Café Shane is expanding into its next door space. [Brownstoner]
Times Square: Spice Fusion at 777 Eighth Avenue is temporarily closed for renovations. [Grub Street]
West Village: On Mondays, Jane offers a $15 prix-fixe special that includes fried chicken, corn bread, corn on the cob, and Blue Point beer. [Grub Street]

Filed Under: neighborhood watch, jane, the habitat

• 0 Comments

Reps have released some information on Devi chef Hemant Mathur’s new fine-dining project. Tulsi will open at 211 East 46th Street, a 2,000-square-foot venue that’s being outfitted with a fourteen-seat lounge area and 55-seat dining room. Mathur will be working with chef Dhandu Ram (Yuva), pastry chef Surbhi Sahni (Devi), consulting mixologist Nirupama Srivastava (Mountain View, California’s Sakoon), and there’ll be a rolling chaat trolley, in addition to a $20 “chaat and choose” lunch. Here are some of the menu items you can look forward to in October.

Bar Snacks – Tulsi Tandoori Aloo; Shrimp Kati Roll; Crispy Cod Bites
Starters – Street Cart Chaats, served tableside; Walnut Chicken Roti Roll; Trio of Momos
Seafood Entrees – Tandoori Prawns; Parsi Fish of the Day; Semolina Crusted Monkfish
Meat Entrees – Goat Rogan Josh; Duck Moilee; Tandoori Wild Boar Chops; 12-Spice Chicken Curry
Vegetable Entrees – Stuffed Baby Eggplant; Roasted Pesto Portobello Mushroom
Sides – Tulsi’s Dal, Butter Paneer, Kulcha, Parantha, Family Naan
Desserts – Ginger Panna Cotta; Eggless Pistachio Cake; Banana Pitha
Six-Course Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Chef’s Tasting Menus

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: openings, devi, dhandu ram, hemant mathur, nirupama srivastava, sakoon, surbhi sahni, tulsi

• 0 Comments

Add this one to your fall preview lists: Ace Watanasuparp and Chai Huadwattana of Spot Dessert Bar and OBAO have hired Todd English and Ian Chalermkittichai of Kittichai as consulting chefs at a still unnamed restaurant at 647 Ninth Avenue near West 45th Street. Roy Nachum (who just added Mel’s Burger Bar to his resume) will design the bi-level, 140-seat space and we’re told by a rep that the menu will have a medium price point and consist of “American BBQ with Asian accents spanning a wide cross-section of Asian cuisines, including Indian, South East Asian, Korean, etc.” Look for an opening in November.

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: openings, ace watanasuparp, chai huadwattana, kittichai, obao, todd english

• 0 Comments

As expected, the 50,000 sq. ft. Batali-Bastianich uber supermarket, Eataly, opened just before 4 p.m. today. Our man on the scene got a photo of the line before the doors swung open, and is currently sending photos from the belly of the beast. Check back for more photos as the megaplex takes in the first of what they’re estimating will be four to six million customers a year. We’re told the main restaurant, Manzo, isn’t yet open but the menus are immediately below. Within ten minutes, there were already thirty-minute waits at the pizza and pasta restaurants.

Manzo menu: Antipasti, Piedmontese Beef, Primi, Secondi, Contori, Beef Tasting, Taste of Liguria, Taste of Parmigiano Reggiano [pdfs]
La Piazza di Eataly menu [pdf]
La Pasta menu [pdf]

Photo: Bryan Hood

Photo: Bryan Hood

Photo: Bryan Hood

Photo: Bryan Hood

Earlier: Eataly’s Vegetable Butcher Revealed
Mega Mario [NYM]
Welcome to Eataly [NYP]
Eataly, an Italian Food Hall, Opening Soon [NYT]
Eataly Rollout Rivals a Harry Potter Book Release [Insatiable Critic]

Filed Under: openings, eataly, joseph bastianich, mario batali

• 0 Comments

It’s after 4 p.m., and that means it’s time to play Two for Eight. We just asked ten restaurants the best time they could squeeze in a couple for dinner; you need only make your chosen reservation. (As always, we make the calls but don’t guarantee the results.) Today: Modern American.

Abe & Arthur’s (Menu)
646-289-3930
Two for eight? Yes

Apiary (Menu)
212-254-0888
Two for eight? No
Best available: 8:15 p.m.

Aureole (Menu)
212-319-1660
Two for eight? No
Best available: 8:15 p.m.

Bar Henry (Menu)
646-448-4559
Two for eight? No
Best available: Closed until September 7th

David Burke Townhouse (Menu)
212-813-2121
Two for eight? No
Best available: 8:30 p.m.

Dovetail (Menu)
212-362-3800
Two for eight? No
Best available: 8:30 p.m.

Dressler (Menu)
718-384-6343
Two for eight? Yes

Lure Fishbar (Menu)
212-431-7676
Two for eight? No
Best available: 8:45 p.m.

Prune (Menu)
212-677-6221
Two for eight? Yes

Stanton Social (Menu)
212-995-0099
Two for eight? No
Best available: 8:15 p.m.

• 0 Comments

Mediabistro’s Fishbowl blog is reporting that Top Chef will return to New York for its eighth season. The blog doesn’t cite a source, and when we called Bravo, a surprised rep declined to comment, saying that an announcement has yet to be made. Meanwhile, YumSugar wonders whether the new MasterChef cookbook reveals that show’s winner — a certain contestant gets six recipes in the book while others get fewer.

Top Chef Returning to New York [Fishbowl]
Does the MasterChef Cookbook Reveal the Show’s Winner? [YumSugar]

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: top chef, masterchef, new york, season 8, tv land

• 0 Comments

Eater and EV Grieve have noticed some interesting morsels on the current Community Board agendas. First, in Community Board 2’s domain, it looks like Luigi Iasilli of Max is looking to take over Tonda’s space. And second, in Community Board 3’s world, none other than the Frankies seem to be opening a Spuntino at the long vacant 570 Hudson Street, on the corner of West 11th Street. Meanwhile, EV Grieve is worried about an application for a new license at the address of perennial “best dive” pick, the Blarney Cove, on East 14th Street. When we called, a bartender who admitted to being unfamiliar with the situation told us the owner had recently died (about two months ago) and speculated that his wife, who is now running the bar, is likely applying for a license in her name. According to the State Liquor Authority, the current license expires at the end of November.

Community Board No. 2: Calendar/Agenda [via Eater]
Community Board 3 Calendar [via Eater and EV Grieve]

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: empire building, east village, frankies, italian, luigi lasilli, max, west village

• 0 Comments

Maimon Kirschenbaum recently sued one Iron Chef and now he’s taking on another. Today, Jose Bueno, a bar back at Morimoto for about three and a half years, filed a lawsuit alleging that the restaurant failed to pay him a “spread of hours” premium for work days that were over ten hours, and that it retained a portion of the fee paid by patrons for banquets or private events. Kirschenbaum says that Morimoto charges 20 percent for large parties, but gives servers only 15 percent, in part because a silver polisher is included in the tip pool. According to Kirschenbaum, this is illegal because the polisher doesn’t interact with customers. “The silver polisher should be well paid just like the chef and dishwasher,” he says, “But the customer is leaving a tip for the waiter and the tip is the waiter’s tip.”

So what does Kirschenbaum say to people who call these lawsuits frivolous? “As repetitive as these lawsuits may be, the law is pretty clear, which is the reason that perfectly intelligent individuals keep on bringing the same lawsuit over and over again.” He says, “Both sharing tips with management and non-service employees and taking parts of mandatory gratuities are blatantly illegal practices.” The complaint is below.

Jose Bueno v. Morimoto [pdf]

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: lawsuits, jose bueno, labor laws, morimoto, wage violations

• 0 Comments

At last year’s Hot Plates Live Brooklyn, Calexico’s tomatillo gazpacho

It’s almost fall, which means chefs and restaurants are revving up their tiny appetizer plates for more tasting events than your calendar (or waistline) can bear. Among the coastal rivalries, pork fests, and other carnivals of gluttony, check out these four multi-chef samplers — at least three of which have outdoor components for sponging up the very last remnants of the summery sun.

HOT PLATES LIVE
Time and Place: September 13, 6 ’til 9 p.m. at The Bell House
The Shtick: Metromix celebrates the “best and brightest new restaurants” in Brooklyn.
The Restaurants: St. Anselm, Osteria il Paiolo, 1 or 8, Branded Saloon, Cariño, and more
Tickets: $15 here

LET US EAT LOCAL
Time and Place: September 16, VIP reception 6 p.m., general admission 7 p.m., at Water Taxi Beach at the South Street Seaport
The Shtick: A locavore fundraiser for charity Just Food, honoring Mark Bittman.
The Restaurants: ABC Kitchen, Craft, Back Forty, Gramercy Tavern, Northern Spy Food Co., and more
Tickets: $175-$300 here

BACK TO BASIS GOOD FOOD FESTIVAL
Time and Place: September 19, at Gansevoort Plaza, Gansevoort and Washington Streets.; Tasting: 1 a.m. ’til 4 p.m.; Dinner: 6 p.m. cocktails, 7 p.m. dinner
The Shtick: A celebration of “traditional, localized, 100% traceable food.”
The Restaurants: Colicchio & Sons, Flatbush Farm, Highlands, Minetta Tavern, Dirty Bird To-Go, and more
Tickets: $20-$175 here

INTERNATIONAL CHINESE CULINARY COMPETITION
Time and Place: September 30-October 1 at Duffy Square, Broadway and 44th Street; October 3 at Pier Sixty, tasting reception — 11 a.m. ’til 2 p.m., awards dinner: 5:30 ’til 9:30 p.m.
The Shtick: Master Chinese chefs dressed in period costume compete to master five regional varieties of cooking in a live Times Square cook-off, with the winners awarded gold medals.
Tickets: $60-$275 here

Read more posts by Helen Rosner

Filed Under: foodievents, back to basis, hot plates, international chinese culinary competition, just food, let us eat local

• 0 Comments

Last week, Peter’s Since 1969 opened its second location. As we pointed out, the chicken joint’s first location replaced an old Polish butcher shop on Bedford Avenue (hence its name). Now one of Bedford’s last Polish mainstays, Raymund’s Place, seems to be putting itself up for sale.

A certain “corner restaurant on Bedford Ave.” that looks identical to Raymund’s has posted a Craigslist ad asking for $390,000 (or your best offer) for its thirteen-year, $4,500-per-month lease (which it says is “at least 40-50% below current market rates”). According to NewYork.com, Raymund’s has been located at Bedford Avenue and North 10th Street for at least eighteen years. That site had no idea how right it was back when it wrote, “Seems like these days, those types of neighborhood eateries are getting crowded out by the latest and greatest new thing.” We haven’t yet been able to reach the owner of Raymund’s to confirm he’s throwing in the towel, but in any case — this may just be your chance to open Raymund’s Since the Early Nineties.

Corner Restaurant ON Bedford Ave. Make it Whatever you can Dream of! – $390000 (Northside, Williamsburg) [Craigslist]

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: endangered, peter’s since 1969, polish, raymund’s place, williamsburg

• 0 Comments

If you can’t wait till next week’s chance to buy an advance copy of the New Brooklyn Cookbook and you’re wondering who made the cut, we’ve scored an early look at the table of contents. In their intro, Melissa and Brendan Vaughan trace New Brooklyn Cuisine back to two restaurants in particular — al di là and Diner, followed by the Grocery and Saul — and describe Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld’s review of the General Greene as “the high point for that particular conception of a New Brooklyn restaurant.” In that review, Patronite and Raisfeld described New Brooklyn Cuisine as:

[A] very specific subgenre of the more familiar New American Cuisine. It flourishes in the bucolic hinterlands of Boerum Hill and Prospect Heights, the low country of Carroll Gardens and Williamsburg, and the great plains of Park Slope, and has as its common denominator a very New York culinary sophistication melded with a wistfully agrarian passion for the artisanal, the sustainably grown, and the homespun.

Now, say the Vaughns, we’re in a period that needn’t be called a backlash, but nevertheless shows “fatigue with the farm-to-table, local-seasonable-sustainable thing.” Without further ado, here are the dishes that made it into the book, which comes out in October. Chime in if any of your favorites were overlooked.

The New Brooklyn Cookbook: Contents [pdf]

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: bookshelf, al di la, brendan vaughan, diner, melissa vaughan, nbc, new brooklyn cuisine, saul, the general greene, the grocery, the new brooklyn cookbook

• 0 Comments

Last weekend, the World Testicle Cooking Championship took place in Serbia, where the “white kidneys” of bull, boar, camel, ostrich and kangaroo were prepared in various ways (testicle pizza, anyone?). Meanwhile in Colorado, competitive eater Pat “Deep Dish” Bertoletti set a record by downing nearly four pounds of deep-fried bull gonads in ten minutes, according to ESPN (yes, ESPN. Insert “baller” joke here). Bertoletti paired the Rocky Mountain oysters with Crystal Light, naturally. If you’re sorry you missed all this and you’re thinking, “Oh nuts,” don’t despair — Rocky Mountain oysters happen to be on the menu at Da Silvano Bistecca, and tonight they’ll be a featured ingredient on Chopped Champions. According to the Food Network synopsis, “creative juices flow.”

Kangaroo testicle? Chefs in Serbia say, ‘Yes!’ [AP]
Man eats 4 lbs. of yummy ‘oysters’ [ESPN/Page 2]

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: what to eat, chopped champions, competitive eating, food network, pat bertoletti, rocky mountain oysters, serbia, world testicle cooking championship

• 0 Comments